The purpose of this topic is to educate clinicians on the benefits of aerobic exercise and the appropriate amounts for healthy older adults. Benefits of aerobic exercise to be discussed are increased brain volume, improved cognition and improved sleep quality.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the influence of aerobic exercise on brain volume in healthy older adults. 2. Discuss the influence of aerobic exercise on sleep quality in older adults. 3. Learn how aerobic exercise impacts cognitive function in healthy older adults. 4. Discuss aerobic exercise amount and intensity needed for healthy older adults.
Information about Aerobic Exercise Benefits:
In a randomized control trial, the aerobic exercise group showed a significant increase in volume of gray and white matter in the prefrontal and temporal cortices when compared to a control group. 1 The study had an aerobic exercise group in addition to a control group that performed whole body stretching and toning exercise designed for individuals over age 60. The aerobic exercise group worked at 40-50% HR reserve initially and increased to 60-70% over the 6 month trial. Participants in this study were from 60-79 years of age with a mean age of 66.5. The increase in volume of gray and white matter in the prefrontal and temporal cortices with aerobic exercise is especially interesting since these regions of the brain are often reported to show substantial age-related deterioration.
In a 16 week randomized control trial, there were reported increases in sleep quality due to moderate intensity exercise. 2 Exercise in this study consisted of four 30 to 40 minute endurance training sessions per week with low impact aerobics such as brisk walking. Exercise was performed at 60-75% of heart rate reserve based on peak treadmill exercise heart rate. Participants in this study ranged from 50-79 years of age. The main outcome measure used was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In comparison to the control group, the exercise group showed significant improvements in the PSQI global sleep score at 16 weeks. The findings from this study show that older adults with sleeping difficulties can improve self-rated sleep quality by performing moderate intensity exercise.
Due to extensive research analyzed in this systematic review, it is recommended that moderate intensity exercise can be used to prevent and reverse cognitive deficits in older adults.3 The authors mentioned that this result is consistent with a large epidemiological literature that suggests higher levels of physical fitness and physical activity can reduce the likelihood of developing cognitive impairments. Most of the studies reviewed lasted between 3 and 6 months with few studies going beyond 6 months. Therefore, It is unknown if longer durations of exercise have stronger or longer lasting effects on cognitive function. Additionally, it is recommended that both aerobic and anaerobic exercise combined have greater effects on cognitive function than either type by itself.
Suggestions for Aerobic Exercise amount and intensity:
1.) The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination per week.4
2.) Aerobic exercise should be performed in at least 10 min bouts.4,5
3.) For additional health benefits, the WHO recommends 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or 150 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination per week.4
4.) Avoid physical inactivity at all costs. If an older individual cannot perform the recommended amounts or intensity of exercise they should be as physically active as they can.4
5.) The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend a minimum of 5 days per week for moderate intensity aerobic exercise or a minimum of 3 days per week of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise.5
6.) The ACSM and AHA classify moderate intensity as 5-6 out of 10 on the Borg self reported intensity scale and vigorous intensity as 7-8 out of 10 for their recommendations for aerobic exercise.5
Colcombe S, Erickson K, Scalf P et al. Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences. 2006;61(11):1166-1170. doi:10.1093/gerona/61.11.1166
King A.Moderate-intensity exercise and self-rated quality of sleep in older adults. A randomized controlled trial. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.1997;277(1):32-37. doi:10.1001/jama.277.1.32.
Physical Activity and Public Health in Older Adults: Recommendation From the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2007;116(9):1094-1105. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.107.185650.
The purpose of this topic is to educate clinicians on the benefits of aerobic exercise and the appropriate amounts for healthy older adults. Benefits of aerobic exercise to be discussed are increased brain volume, improved cognition and improved sleep quality.
Objectives:
1. Discuss the influence of aerobic exercise on brain volume in healthy older adults.
2. Discuss the influence of aerobic exercise on sleep quality in older adults.
3. Learn how aerobic exercise impacts cognitive function in healthy older adults.
4. Discuss aerobic exercise amount and intensity needed for healthy older adults.
Information about Aerobic Exercise Benefits:
In a randomized control trial, the aerobic exercise group showed a significant increase in volume of gray and white matter in the prefrontal and temporal cortices when compared to a control group. 1 The study had an aerobic exercise group in addition to a control group that performed whole body stretching and toning exercise designed for individuals over age 60. The aerobic exercise group worked at 40-50% HR reserve initially and increased to 60-70% over the 6 month trial. Participants in this study were from 60-79 years of age with a mean age of 66.5. The increase in volume of gray and white matter in the prefrontal and temporal cortices with aerobic exercise is especially interesting since these regions of the brain are often reported to show substantial age-related deterioration.
In a 16 week randomized control trial, there were reported increases in sleep quality due to moderate intensity exercise. 2 Exercise in this study consisted of four 30 to 40 minute endurance training sessions per week with low impact aerobics such as brisk walking. Exercise was performed at 60-75% of heart rate reserve based on peak treadmill exercise heart rate. Participants in this study ranged from 50-79 years of age. The main outcome measure used was the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. In comparison to the control group, the exercise group showed significant improvements in the PSQI global sleep score at 16 weeks. The findings from this study show that older adults with sleeping difficulties can improve self-rated sleep quality by performing moderate intensity exercise.
Due to extensive research analyzed in this systematic review, it is recommended that moderate intensity exercise can be used to prevent and reverse cognitive deficits in older adults.3 The authors mentioned that this result is consistent with a large epidemiological literature that suggests higher levels of physical fitness and physical activity can reduce the likelihood of developing cognitive impairments. Most of the studies reviewed lasted between 3 and 6 months with few studies going beyond 6 months. Therefore, It is unknown if longer durations of exercise have stronger or longer lasting effects on cognitive function. Additionally, it is recommended that both aerobic and anaerobic exercise combined have greater effects on cognitive function than either type by itself.
Suggestions for Aerobic Exercise amount and intensity:
1.) The World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination per week.4
2.) Aerobic exercise should be performed in at least 10 min bouts.4,5
3.) For additional health benefits, the WHO recommends 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise or 150 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise or an equivalent combination per week.4
4.) Avoid physical inactivity at all costs. If an older individual cannot perform the recommended amounts or intensity of exercise they should be as physically active as they can.4
5.) The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association recommend a minimum of 5 days per week for moderate intensity aerobic exercise or a minimum of 3 days per week of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise.5
6.) The ACSM and AHA classify moderate intensity as 5-6 out of 10 on the Borg self reported intensity scale and vigorous intensity as 7-8 out of 10 for their recommendations for aerobic exercise.5
Additional Resources:
1.)https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/exerciseandtheolderadult.pdf
2.)http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/
3.)http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter5.aspx
4.)http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_olderadults/en/
5.)https://nihseniorhealth.gov/exerciseforolderadults/healthbenefits/01.html
References: